The legal battle for quarterback Joey Aguilar is over. His request for a preliminary injunction to extend his eligibility and play college football in 2026 has been denied.
Now, Aguilar will try his hand at the NFL, set to attend the NFL Combine. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel, meanwhile, is going to need to find an answer at the quarterback position. That’s without the benefit of a spring transfer portal window to find a veteran starter.
Instead, it’ll be a youth movement in Knoxville. That’s where things get interesting for the Volunteers.
Tennessee has talented young quarterbacks
Had Aguilar returned to Tennessee, he would have represented a veteran quarterback with a good knowledge of the offense. That’s always good to have, but Aguilar also had his limitations.
A season ago, he threw 24 touchdowns to 10 interceptions and had 274.2 passing yards per game. However, at 4-4 in SEC play, the Volunteers struggled against top-tier competition. Those double-digit interceptions also represented the third time he’d done that in his career.
So, Tennessee will now look internally for a new quarterback. There are a few very interesting options on the roster there, including George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon.
MacIntyre is the most likely choice to start for Tennessee next season. Coming out of high school, he was ranked as a four-star recruit and the 17th-ranked quarterback by 247 Sports. He played in two games as a freshman in 2025, utilizing his redshirt. In the process, he threw for 69 yards.
Brandon is another interesting option. A true freshman, he’s coming to Tennessee as a five-star recruit and the third-ranked player nationally, regardless of position. Again, that’s according to 247 Sports. He absolutely could push the slightly more experienced MacIntyre for the starting job.
The Volunteers also have Ryan Staub, a transfer from Colorado. A three-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting cycle, he has the most experience. However, in five games a season ago, he threw more interceptions than touchdowns. So, the expectation is that he will compete for the job but ultimately provide solid depth.
A youth movement could be what Tennessee needs
The reality is that 8-5 with a Music City Bowl loss felt frustrating for a lot of Tennessee fans. That came a season after it made it to the College Football Playoff. In a highly competitive SEC, however, you need top-tier talent to reach those lofty goals.
For Aguilar, there was a ceiling to his potential. Now, with him moving on, Heupel can look to a young quarterback with a higher ceiling. Those quarterbacks, in turn, can earn experience and become more than expensive backups.
Regardless of who wins the job, there will be growing pains. In the long term, that’s actually a good thing. The quarterbacks who truly thrive are the ones with years of experience as starters. Just look at the age of the quarterbacks in last year’s CFP National Championship. So, it may not pay off in 2026, but getting a very talented quarterback experience is always a good idea.
